Alliance for Building Regulatory Reform in the Digital Age National Partnership to Streamline

ALLIANCE FOR BUILDING REGULATORY REFORM IN THE DIGITAL AGE – NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP TO STREAMLINE GOVERNMENT

SENIOR OFFICIALS TO CONSIDER CAMPAIGN TO INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF NATION’S BUILDING REGULATORY PROCESSESTO REDUCE DISASTER RECOVERY TIMES AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

- NATIONAL STREAMLINING CONFERENCE –FEBRUARY 15 – 16, 2007, WASHINGTON, D.C.

Washington, D.C., January 16, 2007 - In the United States today, regulations governing the design and construction of buildings can contribute as much as 20% of the total cost of construction. Where these regulations are effectively and efficiently enforced, building codes and standards and land use regulations assure adequate public safety and stimulate economic development in our nation.

Where they are not so administered or where outdated codes and standards are applied, these regulations annually cost the public and private sector over $30 billion in unnecessary added costs, and have resulted in homes and commercial structures subjected to disasters to be more severely damaged than those built under more efficient programs. In addition, as witnessed by the long term recovery from Hurricane Katrina, ineffective and inefficient regulations significantly slow disaster recovery.

On February 15-16, 2007 corporate CEO’s, government agency heads, association presidents and other high level officials from across the nation will address the above issues at a National Streamlining Conference being held at the National Association of Home Builders headquarters in Washington, D.C.. Participants will learn about, share and consider coordinated action that will reduce the regulatory cost of construction and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of our nation’s building regulatory process.

The two-day program will open with a review of progress that has been made in identifying and promoting regulatory efficiency over the past six years by the public – private sector Alliance for Building Regulatory Reform in the Digital Age and other regulatory efficiency initiatives. Examples of such progress include:

- the State of Oregon’s “BuildingPermits.Oregon.gov” is phasing in a statewide e-permitting web site that has the potential of saving 10% each year of current annual construction permitting costs.

- Cities of all sizes, includingLos Angeles, San Antonio, San Jose, Dallas,

have reduced: waiting times for permits from 3 hours to 30 minutes or less; plan check times from 10 weeks to 10 days; waiting times for inspections from 4 days to less than 24 hours.

- Enabled the city of New Orleans to conduct damage assessments of 123,000 homes in less than 30 days.

The National Streamlining Conference will present for consideration by the participating organization’s and agencies a proposed Vision Statement and set of coordinated actions that over the next five years will:

- strengthen disaster preparation, planning, response and recovery for communities across the United States.

- stimulate economic development by reducing between 40% - 60% the amount of time it takes for construction projects to move through the regulatory system by increasing uniformity, timeliness and predictability.

- strengthen code administration and enforcement uniformity across the nation helping to reduce costs of construction materials.

- facilitate greater and more effective uses of information technology in the both the building design and construction and codes administration and enforcement processes.

Registration for the February 15-16 program is open to government officials, construction and information technology industry, national associations, academicians and other concerned parties. The registration fee is $100 per person.

Among the national organizations that are members of the Alliance for Building Regulatory Reform in the Digital Age that are participating in the February 15-16 conference are: National Association of Counties, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Governors Association, American Institute of Architects, Building Owners and Managers Association, Associated General Contractors, National Fire Protection Association, FIATECH, National Association of Home Builders and several Federal agencies and state and local governments.

Additional information and agenda for the National Streamlining Conference are available on the Alliance’s website: or by contacting the Alliance’s Secretariat Robert Wible & Associates by email at or phone: 703-568-2323.

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